Expression of the cloned uracil permease gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a heterologous membrane.

A piece of DNA of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae complementing the uracil permease gene was introduced into a plasmid able to replicate autonomously in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. A strain of S. pombe lacking uracil transport activity was transformed with this new plasmid carrying the gene of S. cerevisiae. The behaviour of the transformant shows not only an expression of the uracil permease gene in the heterologous membrane but also that the transport of uracil is active and coupled to the energy furnishing system of the heterologous host.